Identifying Geologically Meaningful U-Pb Dates in Fossil Teeth

Stephanie R S Nichols
2017
Dating attempts on fossil material have thus far yielded mixed results. While successes have been reported on single specimens, most fossils are thought to have experienced a complex history that obscures a simple determination of age. For this thesis, transects along the cross-sections of 14 fossil alligorid teeth from the Arroyo Chijuillita Member of the Nacimiento Formation, New Mexico, and tyrannosaur and crocodilian teeth from the Dinosaur Park Formation, Alberta were analysed for their
more » ... ce elements and U-Pb isotope composition using laser ablation ICP-MS. The reliability of this method is supported by good agreement in the TIMS (61.5±1.6 Ma) and laser ablation ICP-MS (64.9±3.6 Ma) dates for a targeted tooth region.
doi:10.7939/r35x25r1w fatcat:hmmllcgcazhobgvyllre2ql6yq